That's what I get from the remarks made by Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) President George Scalise recently. Quoting:

Other countries and regions have put in place generous incentives to attract investment, including cash grants, tax holidays, and liberal R&D tax credits ... The U.S. still enjoys a lead in technology, but leadership is not a birthright -- it must be earned through action.

Yet Uncle Sam may as well be on the couch with a bag of Cheetos, the SIA concludes.

Here's why. A tax credit meant to help American companies fund job-creating innovation expired on Dec. 31. Advanced research in fields such as nanoelectronics -- a fancy term for creating really small chips and other tiny devices -- could suffer as a result, the SIA says.